The wording in this pattern is a little confusing. At the end it says to repeat the short row pattern 8 times. So right now I have 30 stitches on my needles after all the decreasing. My question is, do I increase back to 48 stitches on this row and decrease every other row again, or do I increase one or two stitches every other row until I'm back to 48?
The pattern is for an illusion/shadow knit hat on straight needles found here:http://shetha.com/illusionhat.htm

Hat Instructions:

Choose your chart and print it out (or make your own!)

Cast on 29 sts in CC.� Place Marker.� Cast on 19 more stitches in CC.� Next row, slip first stitch and knit 18 in CC.� After marker, begin chart 1 from row 2 (WS) because the cast on row is row 1.� For the chart, each odd row (RS) will be knit across all sts.� Each even row, purl the clear boxes, knit the colored boxes.� On the short end of the marker, always K on the WS with the CC and Purl on the WS with the MC.� On row 3, change to MC, continuing in chart.� On row 5, switch back to CC, and continue to switch between CC and MC1 every 2 rows for the remainder of the hat.�� The chart is worked on the longer side of the marker.� At the same time short rows will be worked on the shorter side of the marker as follows:

2 rows at 48 stitches,

2 rows at 47 stitches,

2 rows at 46 stitches,

2 rows at 45 stitches,

2 rows at 44 stitches,

2 rows at 43 stitches,

2 rows at 42 stitches,

2 rows at 40 stitches,

2 rows at 38 stitches,

2 rows at 36 stitches,

2 rows at 34 stitches,

2 rows at 32 stitches, and finally

2 rows at 30 stitches.
This short row pattern should be repeated 8 times, and the illusion chart should be repeated twice total (4 short row sections for each illusion chart).� The second row for any set (worked from the top of the hat towards the brim) should always have the first stitch slipped.� On all rows that are worked from brim to crown (except for the 48 stitch rows) wrap the stitch after the last one worked.� Basically bring yarn to the other side of the work, slip the next stitch, pull the yarn back to the original side, and slip the slipped stitch back to the other needle.� Turn work and continue in short row pattern.

Finishing:

With CC cast off all 48 stitches.� Sew cast on row to cast off row to complete hat.� Draw yarn through top of hat if it is too open.

Edited to add part of the pattern I cut off...

Shandeh

01-18-2007, 07:35 AM

You would probably get some answers if you posted this in the "How To" section of the forum.

md21

01-19-2007, 01:05 AM

Yeah, I thought about that, but I just kept knitting. After I saw what was taking shape, it made sense.

For future reference, the pattern is repeated backwards, increasing from 30 to 32 to 34 etc.